NEW DELHI: Terming the BJP’s ‘400 paar’ slogan “perception management”, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar says such claims are a “malicious attempt” to alter reality and are reflective of the ruling party’s fear of defeat.In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency’s headquarters here, he questioned the BJP’s confidence about the NDA crossing the 400-figure mark in the Lok Sabha polls, asking if it is so, then why is it inducting leaders who cannot win polls while in Congress and are like “used cartridges.”Kumar also acknowledged that there was a “failure” on the part of old parties that had been in power earlier, due to which the people got attracted towards the “extremism of the BJP,” but said the change in the situation was only a matter of time as India’s society is based on love and equality and stands for co-existence and tolerance.Asked about the BJP’s slogan of ‘400 paar’ and whether it seems like the opposition is lagging behind in the battle of perception, he said, “If one looks at it closely, this reflects the BJP’s frustration and its fear of defeat.””Have you heard that the Indian cricket team has gone to play a match with Australia and before the match they are saying, 400 paar? They don’t say such a thing. They say that ‘we will play well and win the World Cup’,” he said.Kumar claimed that efforts were being made to alter reality through “perception management.””A malicious attempt is being made to alter reality on the basis of perception management. If the number is already crossing 400, then what is the point of inducting ‘used cartridges’ from different outfits into your party?”Suppose you are winning the match, then what is the point of bribing the Australian captain or taking along his retired players?” the former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president said.The Congress leader asked if someone is not winning elections by being in the Congress, then what is his or her use in the BJP?Referring to the switching of sides by many Congress leaders lately, Kumar said, “Those people for whom you used to say bad things, you are now praising them. There were many people who were addressed as anti-national, but now they are in the BJP.””It seems that the BJP has discovered a mine of shamelessness and whenever it gets a chance, it brings out some shamelessness. Those who were fighting like cocks in the TV studio are now sitting side by side,” Kumar said.”Is this the confidence of ‘400 paar’? This is a malicious attempt to deceive the country. This is being said so that thousands of questions are glossed over by the number 400; no one asks why petrol has crossed Rs 100? why is there so much inflation? why is the unemployment rate the highest in decades?” he pondered.It is said that the economy will cross USD 5 trillion but if it is so, then who are the 80 crore people being given free food grains and the government is patting itself on the back for it, he asked.”Repeated attempts are being made to hide reality. This is an insult to the 140 crore people of the country who have to vote. If it is already decided that 400 has to be crossed, then why are elections being held?” Kumar said.He asserted that it is a “game of perception,” and the Congress understands this.In a similar manner, a perception management attempt of ‘India Shining’ was created during the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2004, but when the election results came in, the NDA government was defeated and the UPA was formed.He said such claims by the BJP were an attempt to manipulate elections.
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